Two-thirds of universities are admitting foreign students with a poor grasp of
English, it emerged today, sparking fresh fears over a decline in degree
standards.

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show that almost 66 per cent of institutions across Britain are awarding places to undergraduates whose language skills are no better than “competent”.

Experts tasked with setting English tests suggested that the standard used to dictate entry to many universities was not good enough for academic courses.

It also emerged that institutions spent more than £12m on language classes to bring foreigners up to scratch in English after they had been admitted, although the true figure could be twice as high.

The disclosure will prompt renewed concerns over the recruitment of overseas students to British universities and fuel concerns that many institutions are using them a “cash cow” to plug holes in budgets. Students recruited from outside the EU are not subject to Government number controls and can be charged far higher tuition fees than European counterparts.

Figures published last year showed that income from foreign students has more than doubled over the last decade to £2bn – accounting for around 10 per cent of universities’ total funding.

Prof Geoffrey Alderman, former academic chairman at the University of London, said some institutions were setting English requirements “deliberately low in order not to discourage students”.

In the latest research, Times Higher Education magazine submitted FOI requests to universities to establish the minimum level of English needed to secure places on courses.

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) – party owned by the British Council – is among the most commonly used assessments for foreign students.

Currently, it recommends that a combined "band score" of 6.5 out of nine is needed in listening, reading, writing and speaking tests to play a full part in degree programmes.

But it emerged that 58 out of 88 universities – including at least one member of the elite Russell Group – had a “standard minimum” requirement for undergraduates of 6.0.

According to grade boundaries published by IELTS, students falling within the six band are merely “competent users” of English.

They have a “generally effective command of the language despite some inaccuracies, inappropriacies and misunderstandings”, the organisation said. These students will also be able to use “fairly complex language” in familiar situations. Students registering 6.5 would be at the upper end of this ability spectrum, while those with 6.0 were at the bottom.

The University of West London, Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh and Glyndwr University in Wrexham admitted having a minimum entry requirement of 5.5, which IELTS warned was acceptable for “less linguistically demanding training courses”.

In separate figures, the Times Higher also revealed that £12.2m was spent by 59 universities on English language classes for foreign students. With around 120 mainstream universities in Britain, it is thought the final total may be twice as high.

The University of Chichester spent an average of £903 per student, while institutions such as Bath, Essex and Bucks New University spent more than £220.

Mark Walker, director of examinations at the British Council, insisted the 6.5 language requirement was a recommendation rather than an “absolute” minimum.

"The decision to offer a student a place is based on a number of factors of which language ability is only one," he said. "The IELTS recommendations are exactly that and not absolutes. Most of the higher education institutes in the UK have used IELTS for many years and have significant experience in judging what grades work best for them and their students."

Universities UK, which represents vice-chancellors, said institutions did not recruit foreign students unless they were able to complete their courses.

“It is in no-one’s interest for international students to come to the UK if they are unable to finish their courses because they are struggling with the language,” a spokeswoman added.